Electrical receptacle



Aug. 24, 194s.

B. C. WEBSTER ELECTRI CAL RECEPTACLE Filed Dec. l2, 1945 wlTNEssEs:

INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE ELECTRICAL RECEPTACL'E Benjamin C. Webster, Fairfield, Conn., assigner to The Bryant Electric Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application December 12, 1945, Serial No. 634,548

1o Claims. 1

My invention relates, generally, to Yelectrical receptacles and, more particularly, to a lamp holder for use with tubular discharge devices such as fluorescent lamps having terminals of the single pin type, and which operate at relatively high voltages.

, The object of my invention, generally stated, is to provide an electrical receptacle of the character described which is of simple and economical construction, which may be readily assembled, and which is so constructed as to afford adequate personal safety when being installed and used.

Amore specific object of my invention is to provide a lamp holder wherein the various parts thereof are held in assembled relation with a single fastening member.

Another object of my invention is to provide a lamp holder of the character described wherein the electrical contact and terminal elements thereof are held in assembled relation within a housing member by means of a single screw member inserted externally of the housing.

A further objefof my invention is to provide a lamp holder of the character described wherein a one-piece hollow housing member open at the bottom receives the electrical contact elements and terminal member which are releasably retained therein ln an assembled relation by means of a single fastening member.

Another object of my invention is to provide an electrical receptacle of the character described wherein the terminal member thereof is protected against accidental contact by means of a flexible insulating shield attached within the housing and bendable into and out of protecting relation with respect to the terminal member.

These and other objects of my invention will become more apparent upon the following detailed description when considered in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view in section of an electrical receptacle in the form of a lamp holder embodying the principal features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the lamp holder of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is ,a front elevational view of the insulating shield member shown in Fig. 1,' and Fig. 4 is a. perspective sectional view of the insulating base member of the lamp holder of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the lamp holder shown as a preferred embodiment of my invention comprises, generally, a hollow insulating housing member I0, a contact assembly II, and an insulating base member I2 which functions among other things to retain the contact assembly I I within the housing member as will be described more fully hereinafter.

The purpose of this particular type of lamp holder is to support and conduct current to one end of a fluorescent or other electric discharge lamp I3, the other end of which is supported by a lamp holder of different construction and which does not form a part of this invention. As shown in Fig. l, the lamp I3 is provided with a single contact pin or terminal I4 and a base I5.

The housing member I0 is preferably formed of molded insulating material and is provided with a circular opening I6 in the front face thereof to receive the end of the lamp I3 and a rectangular opening Il in the bottom thereof through which the contact assembly II and base member I2 are inserted. As shown in Fig. 2, the housing member has a rounded top portion I8 which gives the cavity I9 within the holder a rounded top surface.

The contact assembly II comprises a helical spring 2 I, a metal contact disk 22, and an insulating follower 23. These parts are assembled in operating relation, as shown in Fig. 1, the spring 2l functioning to urge the contact disk and follower outwardly toward the circular opening I6.

The contact assembly I l is detachably retained within the housing by means of the base member I2 which is provided with a semi-circular upper surface 24 which, together with the semicircular surface of the interior of the housing at the top, forms a substantially cylindrical compartment in which the follower 23 slides back and forth.

It will be observed that the circular opening I6 in the front face of the housing has a smaller diameter than that of the cylindrical compartment so that shoulders 25 are provided to retain the follower 23 Within the housing.

Electrical connections are made to the lamp through the contact assembly II by means of an L-shaped contact terminal 26 which is carried by the base member I 2. As shown, the base member l2 is provided with a slot 21 for receiving the lower end of the contact terminal which carries the contact screw 28, and the opposite end of the contact terminal extends upwardly within the housing into engagement with the back end of the spring 2l. The back face of the housing I0 is provided on its inside surface with a shallow slot 29 for receiving the contact terminal so that its upper end is held firmly against sidewise movement when pressure from the spring 2| is exerted thereon. The upper end of the contact member is provided with a flange portion 3l to receive the end of the spring 2l and retain it in proper operating position.

It ,nail be now apparent that by means of this arrangement of the housing, contact assembly, and insulating base member, a rather intricate assembly of parts may be secured together by means of a single fastening device in the form of a screw 32 inserted through an opening 33 in the front face of the housing into engagement with the base member I2, as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be understood that the base member I2 is of such size and shape that it fits closely within the lower portion of the cavity I9 within the housing so that the single fastening screw 32 functions to hold it in the proper position, as shown. The base member I2 is prevented from entering the cavity I9 beyond a certain position by means of shoulder portions 35 on the sides of the base member which engage suitable ledge portions, not shown, on the interior of the housing member.

It will be understood that electrical connection to the holder is made by means of the contact screw 28 which is exposed through the bottom opening I1 of the housing member. In order to provide for protecting the terminal screw 28 and other live parts of the holder against accidental personal contact when installing or otherwise using the holder, a shield 36 in the form of a flexible insulating member, as best shown in Fig. 3, is provided.

The shield 36 is preferably composed of a thin sheet of relatively flexible insulating material and is generally T-shaped, as shown in Fig. 3. Its normal operating position is as shown in Fig. 1 wherein its free end is bent into covering relation with the bottom opening I1.

The shield is preferably detachably supported within the housing by means of slots 31 formed in the back end of the base member I2 which receive the projections 38 and 39 on the upper end of the shield. In other words, one end of the shield is anchored within the housing between the interior surface of the back face thereof and the adjacent end of the base member I2 and the free end extends out through the bottom opening.

It will be readily understood that when the shield 36 is in an extended position, the bottom opening I1 of the housing is open to give access to the terminal screw 28. In addition, when the shield is open or in an extended position, it prevents mounting Aof the holder upon a mounting surface until after the shield has been actuated to its closed protecting position.

The shield 36 may be held in closed position in any suitable manner such as by means of small ledges 4I formed on the lower interior part of the base member I2, as shown in Fig. 4. It will be understood that the shield 36 is of such length that when it is bent into an L-shape, as shown in Fig. 1, the free end tlereof readily snaps behind the ledges 4I which have inclined approach surfaces 42, and 'is securely held in this position until released. When in this position the shield eifectively closes the bottom opening I1 to prevent accidental personal contact with the live parts of the holder and also permits the holder to .be mounted.

When it is considered that these holders may be used in lamp circuits to which as much as 1,000 volts may be applied, it is apparent that a shielding arrangement such as provided is necessary and will effectively prevent accidental personal contact. The shield is detachably secured to the holder but, nevertheless, is a permanent part thereof, and is of such nature that unless it is in its proper shielding position, the mounting of the holder is interfered with. This insures that the shield will always be available for use and will always be actuated to its protecting position before the holder is mounted for use.

It will be apparent that the use of a shield of this character is not necessarily limited to use with an electrical receptacle of the particular type disclosed. It may be used with other types of receptacles which may or may not be used with electric discharge lamps but which are used in relatively high voltage circuits where personal protection must be provided.

In View of the foregoing ldescription of a preferred embodiment -of my invention, it will be apparent that I have provided an electrical receptacle of extremely simple construction which may be readily assembled and disassembled, and which functions to provide the necessary degree of personal safety.

It is to be understood that various structural changes and modifications may be made in the particular example of my invention shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electrical receptacle comprising, a hollow housing member, electrical contact means mounted within the housing, said housing having an opening therein through which electrical connections are made to said contact means, -and a flexible shield of insulating material secured within the housing and extending out through said opening, said shield being bendable into and out of closing relation withsaid opening.

2. An electrical receptacle comprising, a hollow housing, electrical contact means mounted within the housing, said housing having an opening therein through which electrical connections are made to said contact means and an inwardly projecting ledge on one side of the opening, and a flexible insulating shield having one end secured within the housing and the free end extending out through the said opening and bendable in and out of closing relation withrespect to said opening, said ledge functioning to hold the free end of the shield in closed position.

3. A lamp holder comprising, a hollow housing member closed at the top and open at the bottom, an electrical contact assembly including a movable Contact member positioned within the upper end of the housing member, a base member detachably secured within the housing member beneath the contact assembly, said base member serving as a lower guide for the movable contact member, a contact terminal carried by the base member in an exposed position at the bottom thereof, and an insulating shield of at flexible material attached at one end within the housing and having its free end extending outside thereof through the bottom opening bendable into closing relation with said bottom opening.

4. A lamp holder comprising, a hollow housing member open at the bottom, electrical contact means mounted within the housing, a terminal member mounted within the housing and electrically connected with said contact means, said terminal member being exposed through the bottom opening of the housing, and a flexible insulating shield attached to the housing and extending through the bottom opening, said shield when in its extended position giving access to the terminal member through the bottom opening and [Xammgi bendable into a closing position relative to the bottom opening to cover the contact terminal.

5.4i? lamp holder for use with double-ended tubular discharge lamps comprising, a hollow housing member closed at the top and open at the bottom and having an opening in the front face thereof to receive the end of the lamp, a contact element movably positioned back of said opening in the upper closed end of the housing, a spring positioned in said end of the housing normally biasing the contact element to a position adjacent said opening, an insulating base member positioned within the housing beneath the contact element for supporting and guiding said element, a contact terminal mounted on the base member having one end extending upwardly into the housing into electrical contact making relation with the contact element, said contact element and base member being removable through the open bottom of the housing member, and means to retain the base member in position within the housing,

6. A lamp holder for use with double-ended tubular discharge lamps comprising, a hollow housing member open at the bottom and having an opening in the front face thereof to receive the end of the device, a spring-biased movable contact element positioned in the upper closed end of the housing, an insulating base member positioned within the housing beneath the contact element, said base member serving as a lower guide for the movable contact element, a contact terminal mounted on the base member having one end extending upwardly into the housing into engagement with the contact element, said contact element and base member being removable through the open bottom of the housing member, and means to retain the base member in position.

7. 'A lampholder for use with double-ended tubular discharge lamps comprising, a hollow housing member open at the bottom and having an opening in the front face thereof to receive the end of the device, a contact assembly including a spring-biased movable contact member and an insulating follower carrying said contact member positioned within the upper end of the housing member opposite the opening in the front face, an insulating base member detachably mounted within the housing member beneath the contact assembly for supporting said contact assembly, said base member having an upper surface serving as a lower guide for the follower, a contact terminal having one end mounted in the base member and the other end engaging the contact assembly, and locking means extending through the housing into a portion of the base member for retaining it in position.

8. A lampholder for use with double-ended tubular electric discharge lamps comprising, a hollow housing of insulating material open at the bottom and having a circular opening in the front face thereof adjacent the top, an insulating base member detachably secured within the houslng with its upper surface in spaced relation with the top of the housing, a. contact assembly positioned within the housing above the base member, said contact assembly including a movable insulating disc disposed adjacent the circular opening in the face of the housing, a contact disc carried by the disc and a coil spring interposed between the back of the housing and contact disc, and an L-shaped terminal member mounted on the base member having its upper end in engagement with the coil spring and its other end provided with a binding screw,

9. A lampholder comprising, a hollow housing open at the bottom and having a circular opening in the front face thereof adjacent the upper end, the inside surface of the closed upper end of the housing being of generally circular shape and having a diameter greater than that of the circular opening, an insulating base member detachably secured within the housing below the circular opening, the upper surface of the base member being grooved to conform to the contour of the upper inside surface of the housing thereby to provide a generally cylindrical channel in the housing back of the circular front opening, a contact assembly positioned in said channel. said assembly including an insulating cup-shaped follower disposed adiacent the front opening, a metal contact disc carried by said follower and a coil pressure spring interposed between the contact disc and back wall of the housing, said spring functioning to urge the contact disc and follower against the inside front surface of the housing, and a contact terminal carried by the base member and having one end in engagement with the back end of the coil spring and having a binding screw in its other end in an exposed position beneath the base member.

10. A lamp holder comprising, a hollow housing closed at its upper end and open at the bottom and having an opening in the front face thereof adjacent the upper end, an electrical contact assembly loosely positioned in the housing adjacent its upper end and back of the front opening, said contact assembly including a. spring-biased contact member normally positioned adjacent the front opening and movable backwardly therefrom, angsulating base member positioned within the hous`n`g`"beneatx"tl"'cbftact assembly in spaced relation to the bottom edge of the housing to hold said assembly in operating position, said base member serving as a lower guide for the contact element, and means for detachably securing the base member to the housing,

BENJAMIN C. WEBSTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 916,812 weber et a1. Mar. 3o, 1909 /75 362 2,321,446 Young June 8, 1943 /73l e g) gf:

Disclaimer 7 j 1.2 2,447,676.-Benjamzn 0. Webster, Fairfield, Conn. ELECTRICAL RECEPIAC'.

Patent dated Aug. 24, 1948. Disclaimer led Dec. 12, 1950, by the assignee, T he Bryant E leetrz'e Company. `I-Iereloy enters this disclaimer to claims 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 of said patent.

-- [Oioz'al Gazette January 9, 1951.] 

